Chapter five

"Claudie?" I yelled her name from the balcony while my eyes were fixed on the stars. 

"Almost done." Her words came out forced, maybe she was trying on a dress. Claudie had been inside for the past hour, having nothing to wear when she had over three closets of clothes. 

"Are you sure?" I raised the cuffs of my tuxedo to check the time on my Rolex watch. Rich men wore Rolex watches to prove their affluence. I also do, but I checked the time with it, too. 

"Yes, I am. Just trying to fit in this dress." 

"Should I come to help you?"

"No. I got this." Claudie didn't like when I was in the room with her while she tried on cloth. She liked when she surprised me, throwing me off in her wonderful attire. That was Claudie. 

I looked back at the stars and watched how they perfected the stars. Zina was perfect for the job I gave her. She was detailed and worked with all her might. To please me or for the money, I did not know. But I liked what she did. 

"Neil," Claudie touched me from behind. Her hands were warm, but it was obvious that her heart was icy. I remembered what she said to Zina. I wouldn't let that happen to her, of course. "What are you thinking about? Oh, don't be worried. The function will go well as planned."

I smiled. "Of course, it would." I took her by the arm and walked down the spiral staircase. Our guests were downstairs already, trying to get themselves into the party. I had to tell Zina not to come because I felt she needed to rest. Me in my Armani suit, and Claudie in her studded diamond dress, we looked like the center of the party. Of course, we were. 

All our guests dropped whatever they were doing and stared at us. Their claps soon filled our ears and Claudie's smile was brighter than ever. She liked things like that. 

"Thank you, everyone," I said as I approached the microphone. Claudie stood by my side and held me tight. She was always afraid of losing me. "I just want to thank everyone here for coming. This wouldn't have been successful without the help of my crew, and my wonderful girlfriend, Claudie." 

More claps erupted from our guest, but I saw Claudie's face solidify. She wanted to acquire a position more than a girlfriend. A step I didn't want to take. 

"Enjoy your day, everyone. Good night." Soon enough, all the music drowned the whole place and everyone went back to partying. Claudie had even left my side and I saw her chit-chatting with a couple of influential friends she was able to get. 

I drowned myself in a bottle of vodka that was from the finest Russian vodka company. I was not an alcoholic, but I took alcohol to suppress the problem that tried to spring out in front of me.

It was my parents. They were seriously worried about my marital status. They wanted a wife and grandchildren, and no matter how I explained to them that women want me for their money, they'd convince me that the good eggs are still out there, waiting to be fertilized, and they'd look at each other and give a creepy smile. They'd been together for fifty years plus. 

Claudie was someone I didn't want to meet at the altar. She had a wonderful body shape and a pretty face, but down to her heart, she was ugly. I knew it. Speaking of Claudie…

"Hey, babe, do you remember Jessica?" by her side was an older woman whose hair was all white and permed. Her dress, too, was rich. I remembered Jessica. 

Jessica owned one of the biggest tin companies in Los Angeles and she was stinky rich. "Yes, Claudie, I remember. Have fun."

"No, I want to talk to you." She sat on the chair opposite me and took away the glass I had in my hands. 

Through tired eyes, I asked. "What do you want?" Part of me wished she asked why I was drinking and why I was tired. I wished she cared. I wouldn't have told her, but it would have been satisfying if she asked. 

She knitted her eyebrows. Jessica had long gone. "When are we going to be together?"

I laughed through my pain. "We are together, Claudie. What do you mean?" 

She rolled her eyes. "You know we're not. You keep introducing me like I'm no one in your life. Is that together? When are you going to do the needful? Our relationship isn't proper."

I sighed. A long one. "I don't know, Claudie. I don't want to rush things."

Her voice rose a little bit higher than before. "Rush things? Fuck. We've been together for the past four years and you don't want to rush things?"

"Claudie, wait." Even if I didn't like her, I wanted her by my side. It was pacifying for someone to have another person by their side even if they didn't like them. 

"No, I get it, Neil. You don't love me. You just want me."

True, but…

"Claudie, you don't understand."

Her hands are folded around her chest. "Then make me."

I didn't have any words, so I brought my lips to hers and kissed them. Kisses, I heard, could fill in what words couldn't. I had nothing to say to Claudie but kiss her. She kissed back, of course. Her mouth would probably have an alcohol effect.

"I love you, Claudie." 

She gave out a sad smile. "Then prove it. Please." 

She didn't say any more words, she couldn't. She walked out of the table where I sat to meet another person she knew to be influential. That was what she did. 

Inside the pocket of my Armani suit, my phone rang. I took it to be someone I knew closely. My cell phone was just for family members and nothing else. I took it out. 

Mum.

I drew a long breath and picked it up. I couldn't say no to her calls even if I detested them.

"Hello, Mum," I raised my voice so she could hear me. While speaking, I walked fast to a confined space so I could hear her with clarity.

"Neil," her voice was soothing. I remembered when I was little and how she shielded me from the claws of the world. "I was thinking about you." 

"I always think of you, Mum." 

"You do? Then why don't you want to honor my wish?" 

"You know I always do what you want me to do. I can never say no to you." Someone passed me and waved sheepishly at me. I didn't answer. 

"Well, you haven't honored one wish." 

I knew it, but I acted oblivious. "What wish, mum?"

"A wife, Neil, a wife. When are we going to have a daughter in our home?" At her end, her voice seemed stressed. 

"Mom, I have a girlfriend."

"Girlfriends aren't enough. Anything can happen at any time because there's no commitment attached to it. Do you get what I'm saying?" sometimes, she acted like I was still three years old and she was lecturing me about the intake of too many candies. 

I didn't want her to end this call unhappy. I had to do something. "Well, I wanted it to be a surprise, but you couldn't let me surprise you. I proposed to her recently."

My mother's voice didn't hide its relief, surprise, and astonishment. "You did? I'm so sorry I spoiled the surprise for you, baby boy. Can I talk to her? I hope she's always by your side."

I chuckle. "Mum, give it a break, she's not here. We're having an event we hosted, so she's attending to oursguests. I'll tell her you wanted to speak to her." 

If I were with my mum, I'd see her grin ear to ear, smiling into the phone. "There's no problem there. I'll speak to her later. You've made your Dad and me so happy. I love you."

"I love you, too, Mum." The line went dead and so did my heart. I felt bad lying to my mother, but there was no way to fix things except to lie again and again. 

I'd have to do something, but first of all, I needed a bottle of vodka.

Claudie appeared from nowhere. "I've been looking all over for you. Where have you been?"

I poured in a glass. "Talking to my mother. She asked after you."

Claudie smiled brighter than she ever did. "She did?"

I nodded. 

I just made two people happy. With lies.